Passive Leadership: Challenging the Alpha Theory

Mark Rashid helps this youngster by adopting the attitude
of ‘how can I help you understand this' rather
than ‘how can I make you do this'.

First of all, I think it's important to
note that I am a firm believer that horses probably don't, nor
will they ever, see us as a member of their herd. I think that
horses do everything they can to fit into "our" herd.
Horses are very perceptive and can easily adapt to their surroundings
in order to help them survive from one day to the next.

I see it this way. Horses see hundreds,
possibly thousands of people throughout their lifetime. Surely
they must know they are "outnumbered'.
A horse outnumbered by predators has one of two choices: Die… or
find a way to get along with the predators so he won't die. I expect
the horse, as a species, has simply chosen the latter. To that
end, I believe he is constantly looking for a way to understand
who we are and what we are about so that he can get along in "our
herd". Much like we might do if we were visiting a foreign
country.

Now, having said that, I also believe
that it is important to note that most "herd" mammals are all set up pretty much
the same way (this includes us humans). The herd starts with the "alpha",
the one with all the power, then moves progressively downward.
Somewhere in the middle of the herd structure are what I refer
to as passive leaders. These are animals (whether human, horses,
buffalo, deer, etc.) that simply try to get along with everybody
in the herd. They aren't necessarily interested in moving up the "alpha" ladder,
because they are content at their position within the herd. These
passive leaders are usually very quiet in their day to day activities,
and as a result, begin to gain the confidence of the other members
of the herd.

Because horses are passive and quiet by nature, they will naturally
want to spend more time with the individuals in the herd that cause
them the least amount of stress throughout the day. The reason
the passive leaders are causing the least amount of stress is because
they are dependable in their actions. They seldom, if ever, use
force to get their way, and seem to lead by example. Where ever
they go, the rest of the herd willingly follows.

In fact, the majority of the horses in the herd will go
out of their way to avoid the "alpha".

So the question is: how can we develop
this same type of relationship with our horses; a relationship
where our horses want to follow us and willingly perform the
tasks that are being asked of them? I think the answer is simple:
First, we need to find a way to be dependable for our horses.
This is usually a problem for many folks because they seem to
have the idea that horses need to be dominated in order to perform.
This comes from the fact that the "alpha" in
the herd uses dominance to accomplish its goals and many people
believe that we need to emulate the actions of the "alpha" during
our training. However, if you watch the horses within the herd,
you will notice that while they definitely respond and seem to
'respect' the "alpha", they don't spend very much time
in that horse's company. In fact, the majority of the horses
in the herd will go out of their way to avoid the "alpha".
So, knowing that, one good way to start on our way to becoming
a passive leader with our horse is to avoid using force. If our
horse isn't performing the task we are asking, help them through
it instead of trying to force them through it. Give them time to
think about what is being asked of them, and allow them time to
try and figure it out. Usually, given this time to think, they
will try to do the right thing.

Second, we can simply take care of our
horses. What I mean by that is not just making sure that the
water tank is full or that they have good feed or that they get
their shots on time … although
those things are also important … but rather do what is
best for them in all situations. Don't allow somebody to work with
them or ride them that you know (or feel) will be hard on them.
By the same token, if somebody is working with them and doing something
you don't feel comfortable with, stop them from doing it. In short,
don't' be afraid to stand up for your horse!

Give them time to think about what is being
asked of them, and allow them time to try and figure it out.

These two things, while they may sound simple,
are often the hardest things for us to actually do for our horses.
It isn't usually in our nature to be quiet and consistent. Our
nature is more to get things done right now. Horses, on the other
hand, simply don't see things that way. I guess the way I look
at it is that if our horse is trying as hard as he can to fit into
our 'herd', the least we can do is try and help him. When given
the opportunity, he will fit in just fine.

Copyright Mark Rashid

About the author:

Mark Rashid has committed
himself to finding quiet but effective ways to resolve even the
most difficult problems with horses. He likes to say he is "just trying to get along". Mark's
focus is always based upon assessing the situation from the horse's
point of view. Mark presents one-on-one horse and rider clinics
which involve his horse training methods and his philosophy of
Passive Leadership with horses. He also teaches private lessons.
He is the author of three books, 'Considering the Horse', 'A
Good Horse is Never a Bad Color', and 'Horses Never
Lie: The Heart of Passive Leadership'; a 3-videotape set 'Finding
the Try'; and a new music CD titled 'Song of the Prairie'.
When not out on the road with his busy teaching schedule, Rashid
lives with his wife, Wendy, and their three children in Estes Park,
Colorado.